Etiology of Neonatal Sepsis and Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Gram-Negative Bacteria in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Neonatal sepsis is one of the most common causes of infection and mortality in neonates specially in developing countries.

Objective: This study was undertaken to find out the etiology and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Gram-negative bacteria isolated from neonates suspected of having sepsis.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at department of Microbiology, Mymensingh medical college, Mymensingh over a period from March 2023 to February 2024. Blood samples were collected from clinically suspected septicemic neonates. Isolation and identification of organisms were done by automated blood culture method and modified Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method was used to test for antimicrobial susceptibility, as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, 2023.

Results: Out of 207 cases, 102(49.27%) showed positive blood culture. Among them, Gram positive isolates were 13(12.75%), Gram negative isolates were 48(47.06%) and Candida 41(40.19%). Most of the bacterial isolates were Gram negative predominantly Klebsiella spp (n=26, 42.62%) cases followed by Acinetobacter (n=13, 21.31%). Among cultures with gram positive species, Coagulase negative Staphylococci (CoNS) were 8(13.1%). Third generation cephalosporins, gentamicin, meropenem were almost resistance to all Gram negative organisms, however, all isolates were sensitive to tigecycline.

Conclusion: Klebsiella spp was emerged as the predominant etiological agent of neonatal sepsis in the present study. A considerable proportion of the isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance.

Bangladesh Journal of Medical Microbiology, January 2026;20 (1):18-24